UK Local Authority District Boundaries (Generalised)

UK Government Digital Service provides digital vector boundaries for Local Authority Districts (LADs) across the United Kingdom. The dataset contains generalised (20m) boundaries clipped to the coastline (Mean High Water mark) and is updated annually, with versions for December 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 available. It is a foundational geospatial dataset for mapping and administrative analysis.

Use Cases

• Creating thematic maps for socio-economic indicators based on Local Authority District boundaries.
• Performing spatial joins to aggregate point-level data (e.g., crime incidents) to the LAD administrative level.
• Analyzing changes in local government boundaries over time using the annual December snapshots.

Strengths

• Contains official boundaries from Ordnance Survey and the Office for National Statistics (ONS), ensuring authoritative accuracy.
• Offers multiple annual versions (2022-2025), enabling temporal analysis of boundary changes.
• Available via multiple access methods (REST API, WFS), facilitating integration with GIS software.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, specific column names, and file size are not provided across any source.
• The dataset's 'last updated' metadata conflicts, with the 2025 version showing a 2026 update date while older versions show earlier dates, complicating version tracking.
• The level of detail is generalised to a 20m resolution, which may not be suitable for high-precision analysis.

Provenance

Source

Government Digital Service, incorporating intellectual property from Ordnance Survey and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Collection Method

Official digital vector boundaries produced and released by UK government agencies.

Time Range

Snapshots are available for December 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Freshness

The most recent version is for December 2025, with a platform update recorded on 2026-04-29.

Geography

United Kingdom (Local Authority Districts).